The End Where I Begin
by ForbiddenTouch
Summary: DELENA One Shot: Set in the last episode of Season 2. What if Klaus didn't accept Stefan's offer and instead, fooled him into thinking that Katherine would actually take the cure to Damon? Which love of her life will Elena be forced to lose?
1. The End Where I Begin

_One Shot: Happens in the last episode of season 2. What if Klaus didn't accept Stefan's offer and instead, fooled him into thinking that Katherine would actually take the cure to Damon? Read on... and review please (:_

**The End Where I Begin**

"I'm… so sorry Elena," Damon spluttered.

"No, shhh…" Elena whispered into his soft ear and letting loose another warm tear. He was speechless, holding onto the last remnants of his life, his _beloved_ life. His pulse was racing, and with every heartbeat came another drop of his love, his warmth, his life.

He didn't want to die, not now. Not when everything he'd ever loved stood right in front of him. He'd waited for this moment all his life and now that it finally presented itself, he was too weak. Too weak to voice his last words.

Every promise they made to each other, every kiss they shared together, every cherishing minute they spent together that they had taken for granted; now was when it most counted. Because now, they both knew what was coming ahead even though they couldn't accept it; the inevitable. Though they both envied the circumstances much, they knew they'd have to face it. _They had to_, no matter how much their hearts fought together against it. Damon had accepted it but Elena just couldn't bring herself to lose another person in her life. They were going to have to go through this, as one. And so those memories were what they were sharing now, those last few moments of bliss. But what came with those was a thousand more regets unravelling.

She tried to contain her tears, she didn't want to cry. She didn't want him to see her cry. Not now, not at this moment or he'd know it was all over. And she couldn't face that, she couldn't face knowing that it was all over. That this was the end. Damon felt the same.

"Please…" Damon began, struggling to speak.

"No, Damon, shh, please, you don't need to say anything" Elena said faintly, fighting through her traitor tears.

Despite Elena's words, he opened his mouth again to speak, but Elena couldn't bring herself to hear the words he would say. As much as she'd wanted to hear his voice, because it could be the last time; she couldn't bring herself to hear the pain in it. So she hugged him tighter, her arms enveloped his waist, stabbing herself against his wounded heart; he was running out of love, out of life, and she couldn't contain it. He was weak yet here she was, stronger than ever. Normally, it would be the other way round; he'd be _her_ hero, not this other way round. Could she be strong enough for both of them now? Could she be the medicine he needed? His _cure_?

She promised him back at the house that she'd be strong for him, that she'd never let him go.

Rapidly, his grip on her loosened and his hands no longer embraced her. _No, please, not now_, Elena thought as she felt his wet, marbled back strain against her arms. He was slipping through. She grabbed all of his weight then, trying to stop him from succumbing to the ground. She held him closer, using all her strength to not let him go, to not let him fall. Cries blurt out of her chest as her eyes took him all in. She didn't want to see him this way. She wanted the aggressive, cocky, cheeky Damon. The one that hit on her uncontrollably even though her knew she was in love with his brother. The one who had saved her all those times from the grip of the originals, Klaus and every other threat. The one that would go out of his way to crack a random joke just to make her laugh when life proved much too difficult for her. The one that she knew loved her endlessly even though he knew she couldn't return any of the love. She wanted _that_ Damon.

"I love you…" he whispered finally and the wind howled then. A crash of thunder collapsed both their balance and she gripped him again, holding their combined weight with her utmost strength. He yelped out a pained cry and with it came her pre-meditated cries. She was losing him, his heart wasn't dancing anymore –instead, it was slowing. Another gush of wind attacked them then and her knees gave way as they both succumbed to the ground.

She broke her promise.

This was it. The upshot of the news struck her heart, excavating its claws straight through, creating a daggered hole through her chest. Her soul shattered into a million pieces, her heart poured out beneath onto the short path before her. She kept falling. It felt as if the ground beneath was engulfing them both within its prison-like, concrete. He let out a small whine, and she felt the shrilling pain that embraced him go through her like a bolt of lightening. She was shaken here, alive in this torturous instance. Instead of reaching to their feet again, Elena sat there, cradling him in her arms, using all the strength within her; _I wasn't going to lose him, not now. Now was not the time or the place_, she thought.

"I-I-I-I'll…always…love you…" he strained, fearing that he wouldn't get a chance to say it again.

"Shhh", she tried to comfort him. He closed his eyes for a moment and her heart gave out a harsh blink itself. _What was wrong with me? Here he was, in his last moments portraying his love for me yet I could not return the words._ Elena hated herself.

Her throat was sore and her eyes were ongoing an everlasting storm that melted down her cheek. It was all too much for her. It was happening too soon. She wasn't ready to let him go. This couldn't be their last moment together, _it simply couldn't_. She wouldn't let it be. She simply couldn't lose another person she loved. As her train of thought ran circles round her head, she envisioned Stefan. She'd already lost him to Klaus. And now, what faced her was another loss. _It was all too much for her._ She simply couldn't do this. Just then, a crash of thunder let out and he shivered vehemently.

Silent moments went by and all they heard was the crashing of thunder and the pounding drops that evaded around them. Damon swallowed hard and began to say what he'd been trying to say all along. And he was going to voice it, even if Elena tried to stop him. He knew that if he didn't, she'd never know.

"Elena," he began, "I have to tell you this because keeping it inside, it's killing me... be-because all I ever wanted comes right down to you." He paused, getting his breath, "I love you Elena. I've loved you from the moment I've laid eyes on you. And... I know that you don't love me back-"

"Damon-" Elena tried to cut him off but he was adamant to continue.

"No, Elena. I just want you to know that… that it's… it's okay." He paused for a moment as the pain from his own words striked him. He paused long enough to see a tear roll down Elena's cheek. He felt his heartbreak for the last time. " It's okay if you don't love me back. I… I can accept it now. I just want _you_ to be happy. And if my brother makes you happy, then… then, that's alright with me. I just, I just want you to know that." he finished. Elena hugged him closer, her teardrops coming out faster than ever.

He was slipping again yet this time he held his own. He let go of her slowly, with sudden sighs of pain. She tried to refrain from him pushing her away, he didn't give up even though he knew she was stronger than him now. He kept trying but she didn't let go. She _wouldn't_ let go. She _couldn't_.

Eventually, she loosened her grip, being aware to not let go. His soft eyes, stared at her intently, speaking out to her. He used what looked like all of his strength and wiped away an escaped tear from her burning face. He smiled. Elena tightened her grip.

"Let... go, Elena." he said ever so gently that it sounded like he didn't sturggle. His eyes looked down into her eyes more sorrowfully, with deep love. There was some sort of finality in his voice that mirrored his eyes but Elena didn't accept this as the end.

Knowing her voice would just break and this would cause him more pain, she just nodded declaringly. The silent spoke for them. He tried again, this time; he looked down, took a deep breath and gazed into her eyes, comprehendingly.

"Elena, you _have_ to let ….go." Her eyes stung like a new wound raw to an open flame. It felt like a dagger went straight through her heart. She dropped her gaze down to shield away her tears but his weak, wounded hand leaped out to lift her chin. He focused her eyes with his and smiled again; it was beautiful, angelic and just so endearing. His smile changed everything, like everything was perfectly normal and it held her there, perfectly still in the horrific moment. Warm droplets escaped from the captive ness of her eyes. She felt his cool breath becoming uneasy; it wasn't long now.

He coughed and spluttered a few times and her arms let loose while she wiped away his melancholy. She held onto him tighter. Holding him meant holding onto the past, onto their future, onto the good times and onto him. Letting go meant nothing right now, letting go now would be failing him, failing on themselves and giving up.

Elena's free hand stroked his perfectly marble face as her cries became more infinite. So infinite that she couldn't see what was in front of her; her vision was blurring. She wanted to wipe her eyes but feared letting go of his face would be letting go of him. She feared losing him forever. She couldn't fathom seeing his beautiful features for one last time. The thought pained ever ounce of her.

Another few quiet moments passed.

"Elena,…" He hesitated for a moment. "Can I.. a-ask you for something?" his eyes met Elena's and never left. Elena tried to smile politely, fighting her tears and nodded.

"Anything, Damon". Her voice was barely a whisper.

He didn't answer, instead he lay there, cradled in her arms and smiled the smile she'd adored since the first time she'd seen it. He couldn't ask her for what he longed. It wouldn't be right to. Besides, he didn't have the right to ask for it, even if he was on his deathbed. His mesmerising eyes glimmered in the moonlight but it was hard to see them in the pounding rain. After waiting for him to respond, Elena knew what he wanted and she knew why he didn't voice it. He knew it would hurt her, it hurt her last time and it would hurt her even more now. But Elena knew better. She knew whilst giving him his wish would kill her but it would physically kill her that much more if she was to deny his last wish. And without hesitating, she bent her head down to meet his lips and gave Damon his dying wish.

It was like their very first time. The kiss was so endearing and full of life, the way a first kiss should be. Although this wasn't their first kiss, it sure as hell felt like the first to Damon. _Magical_, was how he'd describe it.

Parting breifly, Damon smiled, "Thank you" he barely whispered. Elena felt his weight on her now, he was getting heavier, limpier. She was losing him.

He knew how much it hurt her to kiss him. Knew how much it had hurt the last time she kissed him. He knew she was never in love with him, he didn't want to believe it but he had come to terms with it and so that was why he longed one last kiss. Just laying there in her arms, so close, she couldn't deny her feelings anymore.

"I love you Damon" she said for the first time.

His drooping eyes locked onto her in shock but it was incomprehensible. He couldn't react the way he wanted, he was much to weak. And instead, he managed a thin smile as Elena's lips met his instantly. She savoured every last touch and held on to him tighter. She tasted his sweetness, his love, his dying love. He kissed her back fondly, using all the energy left in him. It hurt to mash his chest to hers, to finally hold her in his arms; a moment he'd longed from the very first time he'd set eyes on her. Hurt him so much that somewhere inbetween the kiss, he lost everything. Feeling, touch, the raindrops; _everything_ . It went silent in his world suddenly, and he blinked for the last time.

He fell, motionless into Elena's arms as their lips parted abruptly. Knowing what she had known all along, she let out a pained cry into the midnight air. It chorused with the pounding rainstorm that doomed over Mystic Falls.

She let out several cries whilst holding onto his remaining corpse with dear life. His face was now wept away, leaving a pale ensemble of fine panes and marbled features of his brilliant face. The wind blew his wet, fine hair around and she pulled him closer, sobbing into his chest. She was shaking as the wind shrieked into a maddening whirlwind, tossing the undergrowth around her into a surprised frenzy. The rain became harder and harder; applying more force by the second and several crashes of thunder separated the dark sky.

She couldn't find her breaths as she continued crying over him. The pain that shook her now enveloped her as she held him close for what felt like a long time. The thunderstorm grew harsher by the moment yet it wasn't strong enough to break her bond with him. She swore wouldn't let him go, not now. Not when she had already caused him enough pain. Not when he was the reason she was here and he was gone. Not when she couldn't repay the love he gave her. Not now, not ever. She owed him that.

Several images pranced around her head, like a slideshow on replay. Images of the past, of how they used to be; the first time she met him at the boarding house, the Founder's Day ball, dancing with him, the unexpected roadtrip he took her to without her consent. Almost every memory with him ran through her mind, up to the last moment of tonight; the kiss, the words shared, everything to his death- just moments ago. She felt my consciousness slipping as the pain subsided. She was afraid to fall into the black waters again, afraid she would lose him in the darkness.

Sitting there, breathless, in the pouring rain with Damon's corpse cradled in her arms, Elena came to a sudden realisation. Even though she thought she'd loved Stefan, it was Damon whom she couldn't live without. It was Damon that completed her like a jigsaw puzzle. It was Damon who consoled her when Stefan was absent. And it was Damon who kept her alive. Damon was her _everything_. And now _everything_ was gone.

_"I've always loved you."_ she finally admitted.

But, it was too late. The words Damon longed for in his entire existence were finally spoken but he wasn't here to hear them.

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><p><em>I can't tell you guys how much i've loved writing this one-shot. And i've just got 3 reviews (which isn't a lot but it's really made my day - thank you to the 3 that reviewed! &amp; and tons of 'favourite story' alerts and i just wanted to say a huge <strong>thankyou!<strong> And to those that got a little bit teary - i'm sorry lol :P It's just i got teary at the end of season 2 and wanted to share that feeling (if you know what i mean). I'm actually considering writing more on this instead of leaving it as a one-shot... i'm not sure yet... :/ _

_Thank you so much for reading (:_


	2. The Final Hour

_Okay, so this one-shot turned into a two-shot. I wasn't sure whether to continue with where I left off or leave it. But I wrote a little bit more anyway and my ideas just got really intense & slightly depressing lol, and I decided to post it for now (i'll take it off if the feedback doesn't approve). Tell me what you think - whether it was a good idea or should I have left it as the one-shot? I may conclude it in the final part when I get round to finishing it but only if you readers think it's a good idea or a no-no ... leave a review and tell me your ideas? Thank you in advance!(:_

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><p><strong>The final hour<strong>

It was a while before Stefan came. The sun had hid behind the clouds as the showers prolonged yet another heartbreaking day in Mystic Falls. Elena hadn't moved, she still remained there, at the foot of the cliff top with Damon's corpse cradled in her arms. But when Stefan did arrive, Elena didn't react. She should have been happy to see him, glad that he was okay. But at this point, she was overwhelmed with the numbness the pain had left her with. She fought with Stefan for a while as he tried to peel her away from his dead brother. She threw angry stabs into Stefan's chest, another flood forming in her eyes.

Stefan couldn't help but feel endless guilt. Guilt for leaving her to face this on her own. But he knew he couldn't do anything about it. Soon though, as the rain eased just slightly, Elena stopped fighting and sobbed into Stefan's chest. And although the moment should have been endearing, the entire time, Stefan was fighting off his hunger to gnaw his fangs in.

In the break of the early morning sun, her cheeks appeared moist, tear stricken in the passenger seat. After her sobs haltered earlier, she fell asleep for the briefest moment. The storm hadn't eased, but the storm inside Elena was about to tip over. Her eyes were closed as she lay in the passenger seat of Stefan's car. But behind those lids, her memory replayed the night all over again and she felt every piece of her heart break once again. Stefan thought the worst was over. Until her whole body stiffened and she let out a pained cry.

"Nooooooooooooooooo!" she cried awake. Stefan jumped up, instantly trying to take her into his arm with his right hand. He didn't want to see her this way. He had _never_ seen her this way. He was scared and it wounded him as her eyes started the hurricane once again. She should've been happy to see him, relieved that he was okay. But she was past feeling. It was as if all her tears had drowned out her ability to feel. _Like Damon_, she felt _lifeless._

She found it hard to breathe as she sat upright, failing to reach the captiveness of Stefan's arm. He noticed as she moved away from his hand and he tried to meet her eyes without succeeding. She was shaking uncontrollably as she studied around, wiping her cheeks.

"Elena," he spoke gently, barely a faint whisper. "It's okay, I'm here now" he said but Elena didn't face him and instead looked out of her window, at the glinting blackdrop outside. The words he spoke meant nothing to her right now. She wasn't sure whether they ever would. It went silent again as Stefan forced his eyes off the painful sight beside him. The heavy raindrops grating on the windows filled the empty silence as Elena dosed in and out of consciousness.

She woke up sometime later and found herself in the boarding house, in Stefan's room. _How she had gotten there, she didn't know._ The only thing she remembered was the end, where she lost everything. Blinking her finally-dry eyes, she rose, walking steadily to the window pane. It was still raining outside, the bewildering trees blowing wildly. She could see the shore at the other end of the trees, the waves crashed wickedly against the boulders. She closed her eyes faintly, as she pictured being there last night and waited for the numbness to go, revealing her sore heart to the pain. She waited for her eyes to moisten. After all, this would be where it would all fall apart. First the memory, then the tears, then the heartbreak, the mourning...up until the moment she realised what she had lost. And then she'd simply go numb again.

But it surprised her. Instead, they didn't reach the momentum; the tears didn't escape. Hell, they wouldn't even sting today. She didn't know whether she was numb or whether she really had lost all feeling. But she didn't care. Because whether it was being numb or too lost to care, she was grateful for the fact that her heart wasn't hurting anymore. The pain inside her had eased. Or perhaps it simply overtook her and she was now used to it?

A lingering presence motioned behind her. She didn't look back to see it was Stefan. He stopped at the corner of the room. Last night was a risk for him to take, to allow himself to be so close to her, close enough to touch. It would have been easy for him to hurt her yesterday, when she was most vulnerable. But he was too pained to do so.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he murmured softly, walking slightly closer.

She didn't respond. She couldn't find the words to respond. She continued looking out the window. He handed her the cup of drink he'd got for her.

"Here, you should get this down you, you'll feel much better". As soon as he let the words slip, he instantly regretted it. _Who was he kidding?_ Nothing would make her feel better right now. But lucky for him, Elena wasn't paying much attention.

They didn't speak of last night, although Stefan wanted to apologise – for not being there, for not saving his brother, and for not protecting Elena from yet another loss. But he feared he'd only hurt her more. And he didn't want to add to her pain – not when there was endless pain looming on the horizon for her anyway.

He placed the cup down on the table and stood next to her but not as close a he'd want to be. He took a deep breath.

"Elena, there's something I have to tell you." He paused, watching her closely. She still didn't react. Stefan couldn't fathom what he was about to say. He couldn't bear the thought of causing her more pain. But he had to say it.

"I have to leave."

The silence was deafening.

Stefan stood there, taking in Elena's motionless figure. She didn't flinch like he'd expect her to. In fact, she barely blinked. But inside, the finality of the words Elena tried to decipher burned yet another whole in her chest. _Klaus_, she thought. Of course it had to be him. Why else would Stefan be absent when his brother was laying dead, in the arms of his girlfriend. She didn't speak her thoughts; it was as if her tears had muted her.

He expected her to put up a fight, to make him change his mind. Expected her to scream, shout and argue and fight. Anything _but_ this. Anything but the lifeless statue that sat at the edge of the window ledge, holding herself together, her eyes running vacant. He didn't know what to do, _how_ or even whether he _should_ console her. But his time was running out. Klaus had given him until sunset… and it wasn't long.

"Elena, I'm sorry", Stefan tried, but still, there was no answer from Elena.

"I know you can't understand it now but…" he hesitated. "But, Elena I have to do this, I have no choice".

It was true, he didn't. After losing his brother, Stefan knew Klaus wasn't kidding when he said he'd come after everything Stefan loved. But Stefan couldn't find the words to tell Elena. He was too busy trying to fight off the hunger, the hunger that Klaus had driven him to.

Knowing she wouldn't answer, Stefan took another breath and started to turn.

"Please… don't". Elena whispered. The two words sent a shockwave through Stefan.

But when Elena finally looked up to meet his eyes – the eyes she'd been avoiding since last night, she realised he'd already made his mind up. And there was nothing she could say to make him change his mind.

And so, instead of pleading with him – _like he wanted her to_ – she just sat, holding herself closer and looking through her stinging eyes at the far end of the shore where the waves crashed into the boulders fiercely.

"I'm sorry, Elena." If she could, she'd laugh at the many time she'd heard those words, but she was past feeling, so it didn't pain her like it should have.

"I don't have a choice Elena. If I could, I'd stay. But Klaus…" he paused, edging closer but retreating as he felt her pulse pound behind her silent tears. He froze. He had sworn to never be the reason for Elena's tears and yet here he was, clearly causing her pain. He had to leave _now_. He just had to.

"I love you, Elena. And it's because I love you that I have to go". He didn't get a reply. He wasn't sure whether Elena was listening. But she was. You'd think that by now, after losing so many people in her life, that she'd feel somewhat accustomed to it. That she'd be able to bear it a little better._ But she couldn't._ Because now, everyone in her life was either dying or leaving _because of her_. And she'd never be able to accept that, even when everyone had left her and gone. First her parents, then Aunt Jenna, Damon and now… She didn't want to admit it in the hope that maybe her wouldn't leave. But who was she kidding?

Stefan loved Elena immeasurably – almost as much as Damon loved her. _Almost_. The only thing that compared was that Stefan hurt her more than Damon ever could. Stefan was leaving her when she needed him most. He was about to leave her in her hour of need. She didn't say it; she didn't dare speak of it because she knew she would just hurt Stefan. But Stefan knew if he stayed longer, Klaus would take the only thing he had left. And he couldn't face that.

He knew the only way to protect her and show his love for her would be to get up and leave, now. Although it would nearly kill him to leave her, he knew if his thirst didn't drive him to pierce her neck, Klaus would sure find away to take the last thing Stefan had left.

And so that's why he didn't wait for an answer or a nudge from Elena and turned on his heels and reached for the door. One hand on the handle, he hesitated and looked back. And instantly regretted it. His sweltering eyes stung nearly as much as Elena's as he stared back at the lifeless figure. He couldn't bring himself to say the final word, fearing his voice would break, and bit his tongue instead. Taking deep breaths and fighting his tears, he took one final look at the love of his life.

As his heart began to cry out in pain, he took a step out the door...and then another… and then another, until finally, he was running.

Outside, barely missing Elena's line-of-sight as she continued staring out of the window, unblinking, a faint blur passed as Stefan ran, a faint streak of glimmer rolling down his cheek.

Similarly, Elena's eyes stung more as the waves crashed and her eyes started another rainstorm. She fell to the floor as the cries blurt out of her chest, louder and louder. She found it hard to breathe. It was as if her air supply had been cut off. And she now realised that Stefan was her air to breath whilst Damon had her heart to beat. Without them, she'd be nothing. She was falling apart at the seams. She clutched her chest as she succumbed to the ground.

Out in the field across the boarding house, Stefan wasn't far enough to escape her cries. Regret boiled over him as she wept away her sorrows. Even though it guilt him, he swore to himself that this was the best thing, and pushed his legs further.

(-)

Cold. Cold and empty, that's how she felt. Like a knife had cut her heart from the inside and all that was in its place was empty hollowness.

Everyone she'd ever truly loved was gone. Her parents, Aunt Jenna, Damon and now Stefan. She couldn't help but feel utter responsible for the lives she had caused to diminish.

She didn't know what she was doing but she couldn't stay at the house anymore. Not where all the memories lay. So she ran out, aiming for the cliff-top again. And it was here that she stood, staring down at the crashing waves beneath. She let the cool, moist air from the sea soothe her tired eyes. She closed them lightly. And behind them, she saw _him_.

A small smile appeared on her lips as her memory didn't fail to capture his fine features. He stared back at her, his lips twitching at the side as the smile she had always loved appeared. His eyes glistened like the sea, mesmerising her.

But then, as her closed eyes continued beckoning, the picture her memory showed her turned wicked. Those glistening eyes turned tired, red and wet. They screamed out sadness as the pain gnawed his beloved smile away. Until his face turned to marble in her eyes, revealing a lifeless corpse in her arms. She gasped her eeys open again, this time not screaming like she had before. The sky was getting darker again, turning the waves violent below.

"_Take care of yourself." _he had said last night. _But what was the point_, she thought. Even though she promised him she would, she didn't see the point when he'd broken his promise. He said he'd always love her and never leave. So where was he now?

"I'm sorry" she whispered to the cool nothingness in front of her. "But I can't keep your promise, because… because you never kept mine. You left me Damon. _You left_. You promised you never would and now you're gone … and Stefan's gone. And I'm here. This isn't how it was meant to be."

She didn't feel she could do this. Go on with her life on her own. _Why did he have to leave? Why did they both have to leave?_ As if losing them both wasn't bad enough, they each took a part of her with them. So that was why she didn't feel the need to remain here. She didn't want to be alone. So she did it. With the pain of losing them both excavating it's claws around her, she took a step forward.

And that's all it took.

Before she knew it, she was free-falling down the cliff top. Feeling the breeze on her cheeks, she didn't even let out a scream. Because after all, this was what she wanted. She wanted to be with _him_. And this was the only way possible.

As soon as she broke surface into the crashing waves, a roll of thunder awakened the grey skies. Water filled her hollowness as she drift further down the sea. Her mind flooded with snapshots of Damon and Stefan, flashing back to a better time, a time where everything was okay, where she had everyone. A time she took for granted. As the water forced her eyes shut, behind her lids lay one last image of _him_. Knowing that her time was up, she was grateful for her memory. Sinking in deeper, she accepted her fate.

"_I'll always love you."_ was her last thought and then the black hole she was avoiding caved in on her.


	3. Last Day of Paradise

_I just want to say a HUGE thank you to ALL you readers and everyone that 'favourited' this story and put me on author alert for the story; the feeling's just indescribeable! All the more that concluding this one shot (that turned into a two-short and now a 3-shot lol) sort of gets me depressed :( But, there's a surprise in store for all you guys as a way to say thank you for your continued support. Thank you for reading and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW - Please? It would mean a lot! :) _

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><p><strong>Last Day of Paradise<strong>

William Shakespeare once quoted:

_"When he shall die  
>Take him and cut him out in little stars<br>And he will make the face of heav'n so fine  
>That all the world will be in love with night<br>And pay no worship to the garish sun."_

Some say the world will end in darkness. Some say in the scorching light. But for Elena, it wasn't either of those. Her world would end in complete and utter loneliness.

As the thunder quaked the sea into ripples, the water suffocated Elena further. Her eyes remained glued stuck as she relived that very last memory of _him_. It was the only thing she could grip onto whilst the waves forced themselves upon her. In the midst of the dark chaos around her, visualising Damon for one last time made the pain more bearable for her, enough that if this was her own private hell, she'd accept it. She didn't regret doing this. Because she knew that when you loved someone - t_ruly loved someone - _a part of you died every moment you were separated. And this wasn't a metaphor. She was doing the only thing that could give her a chance to reunite with Damon again. Stefan had gone and left her indignant; she couldn't change that, she didn't have the energy to go after him. He didn't want her anymore. And the only person that did want her wasn't here anymore. She had lost him. If only Elena had known earlier her feelings for Damon. If only she wasn't so naïve to push away the person she loved most. _If only_.

The storm wasn't letting up, instead it made the waves dash even harder. But the storm in Elena's head was just about to combust. She'd thought drowning would be much less painful than it was now. But she didn't regret falling. She only hoped it wouldn't be too long. She could feel she was starting to drown. Nothing could stop it now. And then it went quiet.

It was the voice of an angel that woke Elena from her trance later. Quavering her lids open, everything was too bright, like a flashlight shone on her eyes. It took her a moment to readjust to the deafening ringing in her ears.

"Wake up sleepyhead" a voice whispered.

Elena knew that she had to be dead now to be able to hear this familiar voice. One she thought she'd never hear ever again. Not in her lifetime. Blinking in amazement, she couldn't believe her eyes. Damon was mere inches away from her, his face pristine. He smiled his crooked smile as he took in her amazement. She couldn't speak.

"Damon…" she managed, breathless.

She felt as if her insides were cut open but then again, she guessed that's what it feels like when you've had about all the pain you can handle. But being with Damon again felt like he was her medicine, her safe haven.

"Shhh... you don't need to say anything", his voice was a whisper.

He was right though. Although Elena had a million things she wanted to say _- three words in particular that she waited to repeat over and over again -_ she bit her tongue. Because she wouldn't take this moment for granted, she'd learnt her lesson. Or so had thought.

He was reading her eyes as he cradled her. All her pain erased in his company. He edged forward, looking dazzling as ever. She knew what was going to come and this time, she'd be ready for it. Elena began to part her lips for him, closing her eyes for him to take her in. She waited as his cool breath swiftly traced her lips. But then, just as she began to touch his lips, she felt a sudden rumbling. As her eyes darted off Damon for the faintest second, her surroundings were crumbling down like a tonne of bricks. It wasn't bright anymore; the flushing light was turning into a soiled colour, like undergrowth.

Flashing her eyes back forward, she expected to see Damon; after all, he had just been there. But he wasn't close enough to touch anymore. Instead, he was parting, drifting slowly into the darkness. In horror, she edged forward but she couldn't move her feet, looking down, her feet were locked, with spirals of moss tied at her ankles. She yelped out as he beckoned farther, his sweet smile disappearing as his face turned white as stone. Trying to free herself from the moss, the pain ambushed her again. The background caved in on him, sucking him in further. She knew that in a blink, he would have been captivated. So unblinkingly, she fought her feet from the moss before finally; Elena felt the wrath of her storm. She screamed out in pain, trying to free her legs and then…

Her eyes gasped open, regrettably. Her eyes flooded with water. She was still drowning in the ocean. Looking around, all there was was darkness as she searched around her. Fear crept up on her as she flapped her hands around her, trying to climb up the water. Abruptly, she looked down in fear that her feet would be trapped, just like she'd seen moments ago. Looking down, her feet weren't stuck but she was lost. She was swimming in an ocean of misery. Her throat ached as her scream echoed under water. Looking around mechanically, she couldn't see anything but blackness. She tried to get her legs up to swim but she just didn't have the energy. Instead, she was standing underwater, sinking deeper until she hit something. She felt herself crash into something hard. Using all the energy she had left, she turned her head.

Damon.

It all came in a rush then. He was standing there with all the vibrant colours swivelling around him, in what looked like a ballroom. It was other people swivelling around, dancing. Strangers. She couldn't believe her eyes. His hand was reached out, as if to take hers. She seemed confused. Since she didn't take his hand, he felt obliged to take hers instead and so he did. Within an instance they were face to face. She could feel him breathe, she could smell his sweet scent, and it was as if she truly was in the ballroom as he swayed her side to side. She didn't recognise anyone around her, she was simply mesmerised about how her memory didn't fail to visualize Damon perfectly. They didn't speak; she simply stared into his eyes – the eyes that she'd thought she'd never delve into. But she was.

Her mind went blank, she didn't worry about anything. But she knew she should've. Because this dream –_ like the other –_ wouldn't be far from it's end. And it would just hurt her even more if she didn't wake up from the façade. But she simply couldn't. He was here, with her. She didn't want to wake up, she just wanted to stay here, with him.

"You look beautiful" he murmured softly into her ears. He continued leading her on the dance floor as if he hadn't noticed Elena's tears streaking her face.

"Hey, don't cry." He whispered, giving her a cuddle "Everything's okay, You'll be okay" he whispered. But no, everything wasn't okay. Soon everything in Elena's mind would go dark, she'd lose Damon again and she'd wake up to herself drowning. And then it would all happen once again and she'd relive it.

Standing there, looking at his sweet innocence, she couldn't contain herself. She just had to try, she had to make it last. And so she closed the gap between them and touched his lips with hers. He didn't return the kiss, not yet and instead parted slightly. Seeing Elena's need in her eyes, he returned it finally. She savoured every last drop of him until finally, she felt him pull away. No, she wouldn't let him pull away, it was okay, he didn't need to stop. She wanted to do this. Damon needn't to worry abou whetehr she really wanted to do this. She simply _needed_ this.

But Elena misread his actions.

He fell lifeless in her arms suddenly and came to her realisation. Her screams pierced through the entire room as she fell to her knees. His smile faded slowly as she tried to contain him but she should've known that this was going to happen. Her dream was about to end. She yelled, called the people around her – the dancers. But they all ignored her. Looking around manically, she noticed Bonnie and Caroline and called but they didn't hear her. In the far end, she saw Stefan. He stood motionless, his head slightly bowed as he stared back at Elena, a tear falling down his cheek. He seemed to be cradling a small vial in his left hand but Elena failed to notice; she cried his name out but nothing. No one heard her. Looking back at Damon, there was nothing there. Nothing… but nothing. All there was was a dark hole underneath her and she was falling. Crying out and fighting through her tears, the bright light had faded as the ballroom disappeared infront of her.

All that she saw now was darkness.

She spluttered out bubbles. Opening her eyes, nothing had changed, it was still dark, only the dream changed; it wasn't there anymore.

She didn't have the energy to cry anymore, it was as if she had run out of tears. So she gave up panting, gave up searching for a dream she could never have, gave up fighting. She stood still, against the dark boulder and stared at the looming darkness. It was a miracle that she had survived this long. What happened now, Elena would soon forget.

"Come on, fight Elena. You got to fight" Damon's voice urged out of nowhere. Elena couldn't see him anywhere but her eyes were too burnt to search for him, she just lay there instead.

"I can't, Damon. I can't". She said, tired. Elena was tired.

"Yes you can, Elena, yes you can. Don't give up on me now!" he sounded angry.

"No, Damon-" Then he appeared in front of her. Only, this time, it wasn't a dream. It was as if he was underwater with her. His hair soaked, his marble eyes glistening under the lightening from above. His hands were on her shoulders, shaking her.

"Come on Elena, do this for me. Don't give up. You can't now".

"Why?" she said, breathless. She didn't want reasoning, she just wanted an answer. What was the point in fighting when she had nothing to fight for? _No one_ to fight for.

"For me, Elena. Do it for me". He said, shaking her vigorously again.

"Why?" she asked again, passively.

He looked indifferent. He couldn't make himself adhere to what she was questioning.

"Because I love you" he whispered despairingly, a tiny bit hurt that she'd questioned him.

"But you left me Damon. You promised me forever and left." She said bleakly. She didn't show any emotion, just passiveness. It was like she had died.

"No, I'm still here, Elena. I'm here. I'll be here until you tell me to go. I _promise_"

She smiled, politely. "Thank you but, you're dead, Damon. And this is nothing but a dream". Even though she could, she couldn't force herself to be in denial anymore.

"You're not dreaming Elena," shaking her again but on thing she knew, knew more than anything else in the world; she knew soon she'd wake up and Damon's promise would be nothing but empty words. "I'm right here – look" he grabbed her hand and brought it to his cheeks.

And just as he did, Elena shook and even though she knew this would happen, her scream still pierced through the ocean.

Blinking her eyes regrettably awake again, she was still falling in the ocean. There was no Damon - _of course_. Just nothing but… nothing.

As before, her tears added to the ocean. She couldn't take it anymore. If this was dying then she would accept it. With her heart turning to stone as the moments passed by, she stopped beating her hands, stopped beating her legs, stopped fighting. Stopped _living_.

Fighting back her tears, she stopped holding what was her last breath and let everything pour out. Within seconds, the waves crashed on her again as she closed her lids for one final time. He was there again.

"No Elena! Don't do this. Elena, please, you have to fight!"

"I… can't" she spluttered as her mind evaded her. If she could, she'd have fallen down but the water wasn't letting her fall deeper anymore; she had somewhat reached the bottom.

"Elena… please-" Damon started but Elena was just too far gone.

"I'm sorry… I love you" she whispered. She stopped forcing her breaths to come out.

As the raindrops broke the sky and started to fall into the ocean, the sky turned monumental; picturesque. The faint glimmer from the midnight moon streaked as Elena's body surfaced to the top of the ocean. She was on her back, her face white as a ghost.

Behind her lids, it was forever dark.

-xxx-

It took Damon four pints of blood as well as his own, to revive his corpse. And when he did, all he could do was sit beside her and wait for her to open those beautiful, adoring bright eyes. And today would be the day.

"She'll be fine, Damon." Bonnie whispered as she passed the room. He gave a faint smile, unmoving from Elena's bedside. "She's a fighter, just like you. It's no wonder you're a match made in heaven - _or is it hell_?" she attempted at joking but Damon didn't react. Bonnie knew - because of her powers - that it wouldn't be long now. Damon knew this too but there was still a part of him that hated himself for turning her, turning his loved one into a monster. He only prayed that time would make her forgive him. But he time, he wouldn't get; it would be now.

Elena blinked as she spluttered awake. Damon was at her side in an instance, guiding her up on her back. She coughed endlessly as she readjusted her surroundings. Seeing Damon startled her and she almost jumped back. He was careful to not scare her as he edged back slightly, his hand still on the small of her back.

"It's okay" he whispered, managing a sweet smile.

It wasn't Damon that made her jump, it was the thought of losing him again.

Elena gulped, sitting firmly up. Her head ached, but not as much as her throat. Looking around, she noticed she was in her bedroom. The sunlight was too harsh against her skin. Glancing around, she caught a reflection of herself in the mirror; she still looked the same. _So why did she feel different_? She reached her hand to soothen her aching neck, thinking there was a bruise on her throat. But just as she was, she caught a glimpse of her hand. There was a ring on her fourth finger. And it wasn't just _any_ ring. Immediately, she gasped, looking at her finger intently.

Knowing what could be going on in her mind, Damon edged closer "Elena,... there's something you need to know".

She met his eyes. They were endearingingly loving, bright in their sockets. His tone was sincere and although she had an idea of what she had become, she didn't want him to speak it, he was hesitating already.

"Don't" she whispered. "Damon" she said silently, "Is this a dream? Am I dreaming?"

He nodded his head."No" he declared.

But elena didn't believe it. Sure, everything seemed real and concrete but the light was too bright and she still ached.

"Then...?" she was dazed and confused. Nothing made sense. _Could she trust her instincts and believe this wasn't another dreadful dream?_

"Elena, I'm so sorry. I couldn't lose you".

"Vampire" she breathed, "I'm a vampire?" she had come to her realisation.

He didn't answer, just nodded.

"And you're here. How? How? You... you died Damon, you were in my arms. Damon, I saw you die..." she began to get hysterical and Damon leapt up beside her, cradling her in his arms.

"Shhh," he soothed. "I'm here. I'm back." Knowing that she'd ask, he silenced her question by answering it. "Stefan. He brought the cure to me just in time." He felt her froze against his chest. "It's okay, everything's going to be okay."

It went silent for a moment.

"I didn't regain consciousness until about a day after and when I did, Bonnie found me and she passed me Stefan's message. How he'd left you. _Why_ he'd left. But, by the time I came here, you were already too far gone. By the time I _reached_ you, I thought I was too late. So I did what I did because Elena, I can't stand the idea of losing you, of life without you." He held back his emotions as the image of Elena's somewhat corpse when he found her, appeared in his mind.

She didn't answer, she just breathed in his sweet existance.

"And Elena, what happened that day, the words we shared, it's okay if you don't mean them anymore, i'm just, i'm ju-"

"I meant them Damon" Elena interrupted, She leaned against his hands, looking at his eyes "I meant every word" she spoke each word separately, each distinct.

Looking at her, sorrow overwhelmed him.

"I'm so sorry I did this to you," his eyes fell.

"No, don't be" she said, pulling his face up "I'm here because of you damon. I'm with you. And that's more than I can ask for."

He nodded. "I'll help you through this, i'll stand by you throughout the entire transformation and you can yell at me, throw things at me - _hell_, i'll even let you _bite_ me" Elena laughed as did he "But, just promise me one thing." He was in direct eye-level with her now, capturing all her attention.

"Anything" she whispered.

"Never, _never_, do that again. Never give up on me again."

She smiled comprehendedly, "Just as long as you don't". A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"I'm not going to lose you again". He spoke solemnly. He truly meant the words.

"Forever and always?" Elena asked, after all, that's all they had, wasn't it?

Damon paused for a second before bursting into mocking laughter. "Seriously, Elena, how cheesy was that? I'm beginning to regret ever turning you if you're going to come back with lines like that!" they both laughed as he mocked. It seemed like it was a lifetime ago that Elena had laughed and it didn't hurt. Then, as she stopped laughing, he looked into her eyes, looking sincere, and returned the words.

"Forever and always" he whispered before his lips took Elena's captive. And this moment would be just the beginning of many more to come.

* * *

><p><em>Thank you so much for reading! Care to review? :)<em>

_Wow, I can't believe that's it! I enjoyed every moment of writing this one-shot/3 three-shot and I can't believe i've finished it! Well, who knows, maybe i'll come back to it... there's still a few stories gone untold lol... well, i'll leave it at that note :P Thanks, again!_


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